Tenant have moved out without telling anyone.

allthingsmustpass

Maybe shouldn't have 'refused' a polite request for an early surrender huh. You had the right but treating tenants as human beings is usually the better option. Im sure a reasonable amicable solution could have been arrived at where there would be no loss to you at all. Now you have this. Can't say I'm that sympathetic.

tigsly

I think i meant a 'moral duty'.. although there are 6 months left togo - its seems more moral to me= to relet - and charge for the process. and the gap ..

Kynthia

allthingsmustpass wrote: »

Maybe shouldn't have 'refused' a polite request for an early surrender huh. You had the right but treating tenants as human beings is usually the better option. Im sure a reasonable amicable solution could have been arrived at where there would be no loss to you at all. Now you have this. Can't say I'm that sympathetic.

They asked for the security of a 12 month let and the only reason they wanted to move was because they saw a house they liked more around the corner! Tough. This is a business arrangement and the landlord isn't their parent so they didn't need to act like children. I'm all for discussion and compromise when life circumstances change such as one list their job and they needed a cheaper place or a sick parent meant they wanted to be closer to them and leave the area. However would you have the same sympathy for them if they had a contract with British Gas or BT and tried to shaft them too or do you think landlords should be charities?

I assume they are still liable for council tax while the tenancy continues? I'd include that in the letter and send a copy of the contract to the CT department.

Pixie5740

I agree with Kynthia, this is a business arrangement. The tenant can't have it all ways, the security of the 12 months fixed term but ending it whenever they feel like it just to move round the corner.

As others have suggested you'll need to go through the proper channels of evicting the tenant and regaining the property. I would then pursue her for unpaid rent and give her new address to the council and utility companies in case she owes them any money. If she's running a business from her home I wonder if she should be paying business rates...?

I'm all for tenants rights but abandoning a property part way through a fixed term is just not on unless there are really extenuating circumstances.

whalster

So did the agent tell them they could not be released ? If so they have done you a great disservice ,I always let people out but say that they are responsible until I find another replacement tenant for the rent . This is better more amicable and saves grief and loss of rent .

Did you never meet your tenants? This is the problem using agents the tenant just sees the property owner as a faceless person who can be S##t on .
If you have by chance done the right thing and met your tenants you are in a bit of a stronger position you have a possible new address use it go see the sort it out and get them ( all named on the tenancy) to sign a document surrendering the property .
Failing this if you don't know where they are get a copy of the credit check from your numpty agent and see the named people and previous address that they are related to and follow up on that .

When you get it all sorted use your head not an agent who obviously has not been pro active on your behalf and let the property yourself .
Also just to mention always ask for a relatives contact number mother brother whatever in case of ' emergencies' it always helps .

Good luck and be pragmatic about your situation !

tumbledowngirl

allthingsmustpass wrote: »

Maybe shouldn't have 'refused' a polite request for an early surrender huh. You had the right but treating tenants as human beings is usually the better option. Im sure a reasonable amicable solution could have been arrived at where there would be no loss to you at all. Now you have this. Can't say I'm that sympathetic.

You make an awful lot of assumptions in your post, so let me put you straight.
The tenants have been in our property for a year. They have requested all sorts of non-essential "repairs", none of which we had a duty to carry out but ALL of which we did - in order to keep the relationship on good terms.
They, in return, messed us about by paying the rent upto 2 weeks late over a period of several months and then requested to leave the agreement they had requested (we would normally have gone onto a rolling agreement after the end ofvthe AST.) They then abandon the property, stop paying rent, keep the keys and don't answer any contact - and you accuse US of not treating THEM like human beings? ?
As has been said, the landlord/ tenant relationship is a 2 way street. A tenancy agreement is there to protect both parties, and if the tenants don't like it, they shouldn't have asked for it.

Guest101

Wait they definitely still have the keys?

In which case they cannot be deemed to have abandoned the property.

tumbledowngirl

Guest101 wrote: »

Wait they definitely still have the keys?

In which case they cannot be deemed to have abandoned the property.

Yes, they still have the keys. Legally, they haven't abandoned the property, I know - but it's clear that that is what they have done in reality, insofar as moving into another property and not paying rent on the original property.

We will persue them through the correct channels, as advised by other posters.

telboyo

No doubt the tenants will come on to one of these forums claiming they were mis-sold a tenancy agreement and did not really understand the concept of twelve months. They will want to to sue the landlord for some imagined shenanigans. Fortunately they will not be able to proceed until they have successfully sued wonga for "Stealing" money from their account, which is really the banks fault because the tenants told the bank that they had [STRIKE]lost[/STRIKE] their bankcard stolen. That was the reason they could not pay the rent plus the fact that a loan broker company also STOLE £69.99 from their bank account.
These excuses will go on and on and none of it will be the tenants fault.

Just knock on their door and ask nicely for your property back or the rent arrears, if they don't comply claim on your landlord insurance.

Guest101

tumbledowngirl wrote: »

Yes, they still have the keys. Legally, they haven't abandoned the property, I know - but it's clear that that is what they have done in reality, insofar as moving into another property and not paying rent on the original property.

We will persue them through the correct channels, as advised by other posters.

Hope ur following my earlier advice...